do you see checkpoints all over the city and you hear rockets. but if you don't mention that, it is a normality. but if you go outside the center into the suburbs, you see the destruction and you see fighting and you see people in a very different mood. >> you have talked with other intellectuals and academics. how do they view the situation? >> most of them support the cause of freedom and democracy. they see that people have to defend themselves because for eight months, it was a civic protest, a non-violent protests. but finally it turned into violent protests. but some see the role of the free army is quite critical. the ability to go into cities which they can't hold, they can't stay there because the national army comes with tanks or even now with airplanes. the civilians of course have died. although they support the cause of the resistance, they see the tactic critically. >> syria is not an easy place to be right now, especially with the military action. why did you decide to go? >> this protest was a non- violent protest and there were l